Connell, Dow & Deysenroth, Inc.Funeral Home: 2025

Robert K. Lee

COOPERSTOWN – Robert K. Lee, 81, passed away peacefully on April 23, 2025.

Born in Glens Falls to EK and Lucille Lee, Rob excelled in wrestling during high school and earned the honor of becoming a decorated Eagle Scout. He graduated from Hartwick College in 1965 where he continued his passion for wrestling, and went on to receive his master’s degree from Ohio University in 1967.

After completing his studies, Rob embarked on an adventurous journey, backpacking through the islands of Japan with a close friend before volunteering for the Peace Corps, where he was stationed in Guam for two years.

In the early 1970s, Rob settled in the Cooperstown area, where he originally worked as a stonemason, married, and raised four children. Throughout his professional life, he pursued a variety of endeavors, including stonemasonry, marketing, advertising, and real estate development. However, his true passion was real estate, where his natural ability to connect with people shined, and which he continued to practice into the final year of his life.

Rob was a voracious reader and loved spending time outdoors. He enjoyed racquet sports, hunting, fishing, and any activity that brought him into nature.

He is survived by his four children, Tyler, Justin, Kristina, and Chase, who will forever cherish his adventurous spirit, deep love of learning, and connection to the outdoors.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Rob’s memory may be made to any of the following environmental organizations:

World Wildlife Fund
The Nature Conservancy
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF)

If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.

Jonathan Talbot Ross

1963 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Jonathan T. Ross, 61, passed away peacefully in his sleep, in his cabin, on his land in Hinman Hollow where he was his happiest. A longtime resident of Cooperstown and the surrounding area, Jonathan was a known favorite within the community. Nicknamed Jonny Bench for his reserved seat in Pioneer “Farkel” Park in Cooperstown, he will be truly missed by all dear friends and family.

Jonathan was born on May 7, 1963, in Passaic, NJ, to James and Barbara Ross. He was raised in Monmouth Beach, NJ, Rumson, NJ, and Cooperstown. During his early years he would become one of Madison Avenues top high fashion children models, along with his siblings, Alyssa and James Jr. Throughout the 1960s and 70s he modeled with many well known actors like Wilhelmina and Brooke Shields, as well as appearing on Flip Wilson’s The Fifth Dimension. He was also photographed many times by the famed photographer Otto Stupakoff. Along with his beloved siblings, they became very sought after and successful in the child modeling world of that time, seen often in magazines such as Penney’s, The New York Times magazine, and Harper’s Bazaar, and for labels like Lord and Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. Jonathan was always said to have been the most successful model of all 6 of the Ross children.

Upon a long career in childhood modeling the family moved year round to Cooperstown when he was in high school, where they had previously summered. In 1980 Jonathan was chosen to play a soldier in the movie “The Private History of the Campaign that Failed” by Mark Twain, which was filmed in Otsego County. He spent his high school years working at the Peppermill as a prep cook, worked the rope tow at Mt. Otsego, and gardened for Mrs. Hadley in the summer months as well. He graduated CCS in 1982, and then did a post graduate year of education at the Christchurch School in Christchurch, VA along the Rappahannok River, where he sailed lasers and sneakbox. Deciding college wasn’t his thing, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 1983. He was first stationed in New Bedford, MA on the USCG High Endurance Unimac from ‘83-‘85 and then in Oswego from ‘85-‘87. In Oswego, he handled boats that did summersaults! Upon leaving the USCG he moved back to Cooperstown and began employment at Bruce Hall Corp as a delivery man, where he worked for several years. He also Captained the Chief Uncas and Narra Mattah for a spell, until retiring to his bench in Farkel Park. Jonathan won the hearts of many with deep conversations and greetings over the years. One can honestly say it takes a village, and Cooperstown and its surrounding community loved and were loved by him.

He was predeceased by his parents, James and Barbara, as well as his dear sister Alyssa Eppich and brother James Ross, Jr.

He is survived by three brothers, Joshua and his wife Betsy Ross of Marshfield, MA, Sam Ross of Hinman Hollow, and Justin Ross of Fly Creek; nephews Angus and Bert Ross of Marshfield, MA, Colin Ross of Cherry Valley, and Gilly Ross of Cooperstown; nieces Sarah Eppich of Maine and Lucy Ross of Cooperstown; a brother-in-law Frederick Eppich of Saco, ME; Aunt Judy and Uncle Bill Weber of New Hampshire and Uncle Jonny Maczko of New Jersey; and cousins Lori, Kim and Cheryl, Robbie and Ryan.

A Memorial Service will be offered at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Christ Church, Cooperstown, with the Rev’d Nathan P. Ritter, Rector officiating. Immediately following the service at church, all are invited to re-gather for a party at the pond.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Martin H. “Marty” Phillips II

1970 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Martin H. “Marty” Phillips II, a beloved husband, father, uncle, brother and co-worker, passed away in the early morning hours of Friday, April 18, 2025, at his home on Christian Hill. He was 55.

Born April 11, 1970, in Glens Falls, Marty was the son of Martin H. and Glenda I. (Center) Phillips.

As a student in the Hudson Falls school system, Marty enjoyed participating in many sports, including football and wrestling. He was proud that he raised the most money for cancer by swimming laps in 1987. He enjoyed skiing at West Mountain and playing basketball with his friends. He reminisced about his excitement as a kid waiting outside of the Glens Falls Civic Center to meet a professional wrestler. He was proud of “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, a Glens Falls Native! After graduating from Hudson Falls in 1989, he soon met Sherry Lynn Bartow. Relocating to Cooperstown, he and Sherry married on July 24, 1993.

Settling into the Cooperstown area that he would call home, Marty worked in the laboratory at Bassett Hospital. He then began a 26-year tenure at the United States Post Office as a Rural Letter Carrier, a job in which he excelled. Away from his postal route, Marty enjoyed playing golf, video games, cooking, landscape work, hunting, gathering friends for bonfires, and telling jokes. His sense of humor, delightfully old-fashioned and often involving puns and wordplay, became legendary among his family and friends.

Marty is survived by his beloved wife of 31 years, Sherry of Christian Hill, and their two children, Brandon Phillips (and girlfriend, Crystal) of Ilion and Marisa Phillips of Christian Hill; two siblings, David Phillips of Glens Falls and Laurie Ringer of Queensbury; his mother and father-in-law, Barbara and Jan Bartow of Middlefield; two sisters-in-law, Sue Markusen (and husband, Bruce) of Hartwick Seminary and Jenna Wratten of Milford; a brother-in-law, Mark Althiser (and wife, Fran) of Fly Creek; and aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, a nephew and a grandnephew.

Marty was predeceased by his mother, Glenda I. (Center) Floyd; his father, Martin “Marty” Floyd; and a brother-in-law, Dean Allen Wratten.

Marty’s family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 24, 2025, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown.

A Funeral Service will be offered at 2 p.m. Friday, April 25, 2025, at the funeral home, with the Rev. Jessica Lambert, pastor of The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, officiating.

The Service of Committal and Burial will follow at Hartwick Seminary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy can be made through memorial donations to the Susquehanna SPCA, 5082-5088 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Don Allan Oberriter

1937 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Don Allan Oberriter passed gently from this life into the arms of his Lord on the morning of April 11, 2025. Don was born in 1937 in Utica to John M. Oberriter and Bernice Ellen (Denielt) Oberriter. He graduated from Utica Free Academy, Class of 1955, and attended the University of Vermont for 2 years, majoring in Hotel & Resort Management.

In January 1961, Don was inducted into the Army at Los Angeles, CA where he stepped forward to take the Oath of Service, serving honorably at Fort Ord, Monterey, CA, at Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, AL, and at Loring Air Base, Limestone, ME, with the 10th Ordinance detachment of Fort Devins, MA. There he was a Nike Ajax & Hercules missile and launcher technician and repairman servicing missile sites surrounding Loring Air Base. He was proud of having been promoted to Specialist 5th Class in his 19th month of service. He was honorably discharged in January 1963.

In his youth and young adult years, Don was an avid skier. His parents were accomplished skiers and Don, his brother and sister were all skiing by the age of 4. As members of the Snow Ridge Ski Club in Turin, they were soon racers. Don’s career spanned 30 years and over 200 sanctioned races. In 1954, he won the Catskill Downhill at Belleayre ski area while still a junior racer. In 1965, as a member of the Snow Ridge Club Racing Team, he raced in Switzerland and Austria of which he was especially proud. He continued enjoying skiing until he was 82.

As a sports car enthusiast, he attended with his father the 1950 and 1951 races in Watkins Glen where he fell in love with Porsches. He later owned two — a 1961 356 Coupe and a 1965 356 C Cabriolet, both of which he raced in amateur events and showed on Concourse (the beauty contest of cars…the cars were vey shiny!).

In his later life, Don was an avid golfer, sharing his passion for the sport with many friends while playing at Leatherstocking Golf Course and Otsego Golf Club.

On October 26, 1968, he and Sharon Ann Murphy were married at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Utica. He always credited Sharon, an English teacher at New Hartford Central School, with increasing his word power and smoothing his rough corners. They enjoyed 57 years together as partners in all they did.

Following the sale of the Oberriter family restaurant in New Hartford, in 1975, Don and Sharon opened Obies Brot Und Bier, a beer and sandwich bar in Cooperstown. It was a quick success and created enduring memories for many in Cooperstown and beyond. In 1981, Don’s restless brain focused on launching the Cooperstown Bat Company with Sharon. Through the years it became a national manufacturer of player and artistic bats for the burgeoning sports memorabilia market. After 28 years they sold it in 2009 and it continues to thrive today after 44 years.

Throughout his life, Don believed in community involvement which led to numerous business, social, veteran’s and sports organizations: Eastern Amateur Ski Association, US Amateur Ski Association (1953-1975), Sports Car Club of America, Porsche Club of America, the Over 70 Ski Club, the Mohican Club of Cooperstown, Lions Club of Cooperstown, Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce, serving as a director 1978 - 1982, and Otsego County Chamber of Commerce.

Don approached life with great enthusiasm. He especially enjoyed the many people he met and his appreciation of their talents led to many life-long friendships. He particularly valued the many young people he had the privilege to employ and the opportunity to mentor as they grew in experience. He considered himself blessed by knowing them. He was happy anytime he could bring a smile and a laugh or tell someone how special they were. Life in Cooperstown gave him many close friends with whom he celebrated the joys of raising a family and being part of a close-knit community.

Don was predeceased by his parents, his infant son Aric Allan, his brother John Roger, his sister-in-law Natalie Oberriter, and his brothers-in-law Dan Guida and Terry Murphy.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, son Andrew (Abby), daughter Megan (Timothy) Dinneen, grandchildren Lucy and MacArthur Oberriter and Maxwell and Indiana Dinneen, his sister Donna Cheryl Guida, sister-in-law Mary Murphy, nephews Matthew Murphy (Kristen), Jim Oberriter (Angel), Carl (Antoinette) Oberriter, nieces Kiersten Garrison (Randy Suzuki) and Monica Guida-Houghton (Richard) and many great nieces and nephews.

Don lived by a philosophy of helping others and paying it forward to friends and strangers. Please consider a donation to Cooperstown Food Pantry or to your favorite charity in his memory.

Calling hours are from 5 -7 p.m. Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Connell, Dow and Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 1, 2025, at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street, Cooperstown, with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, Pastor officiating. The service will be followed by a gathering of friends in The Parish Center directly behind the Church.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Will Cohea

1955 - 2025

RICHFIELD SPRINGS – William “Will” Harvey Cohea III, of Richfield Springs, passed from this life into eternal life Friday morning, April 4, 2025, at his home surrounded by family. He was 69.

Born on May 30, 1955, to Rev. William “Bill” H. Cohea, Jr. and Mary Wimberly Cohea in Pittsburgh, PA, Will followed his father and the rest of the growing family as it moved to New Jersey and then Chicago’s northern suburbs. He attended elementary and middle school in Evanston. Will was an active, athletic kid, and he loved playing with trains and slot cars, backyard sports with neighborhood kids, fishing and listening to rock ‘n’ roll on WLS-AM on his portable transistor radio.

When the family moved to Winter Haven, FL, in 1971, Will took to the outdoors, working extra jobs to earn enough to buy a boat for fishing expeditions on nearby lakes, accompanied usually by his dog Shep. (The boat was named The Dee Dee Boo, after the dog’s nickname.) He began high school at Winter Haven High where he made the JV football team and was quite the tanned and buff young man at the many pool parties held out back of the house.

The family moved back north in 1973, taking residence in a row house near Fullerton Seminary in uptown Chicago. He graduated the next year from Lakeview Academy in Chicago. Out of high school, Will took photography classes and worked in the restaurant business before relocating to Pennsylvania in 1990, taking residence at Columcille with his father Bill. There he studied massage therapy and assisted with many projects at the flourishing megalithic park, creating paths into the woods, carrying and raising stones for the construction of the St. Oran Bell Tower, keeping the grounds and taking photos at events.

He met his future wife, Sarah Totin when she rented one of the apartments at Columcille and the two married in 1996.

Subsequently they lived in nearby Bangor in a house which Will completely renovated, including an office and treatment room for his massage business, a stone wall across the front and a lavish recreation area with Koi pond in back. There, Will also developed a photography business and did many shoots for local events, businesses and individuals.

When Bill Cohea passed in 2018, Will was on hand for his memorial in the St. Columba Chapel, which Will helped build in 1979 and where he and Sarah had exchanged wedding vows in 1996.

As part of their retirement plan, Will and Sarah moved to upstate New York in 2020, purchasing a Victorian house in Richfield Springs. There Will continued to hone his skills as a craftsman working on many projects renovating their 130-year old house. Will often took the dogs for a walk in a nearby hayfield, and many of his later photographs meditated on the play of light and shadow in that serene expanse.

Will’s cancer journey began in 2022 with a three-year battle using both traditional and alternative therapies. To the end, Will maintained a productive and happy life with Sarah.

A recent DNA test by a relative led to Will making a late-in-life connection with his son Paul Helsdon of Chicago, and the two spent a happy weekend together telling life stories and searching for common traits between them.

Will is survived by wife Sarah Totin Cohea, their dog Memphis, his son Paul Helsdon and brother J. David Cohea and sister Molly (Cohea) Tims, both of Florida. Will is predeceased by father Bill, mother Mary and brother Timm.

A service To the Glory of God and in Thanksgiving for the life of William H. Cohea III, will be offered at 3 p.m. Saturday, May, 17, 2025, at The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 67 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, with the Rev. Jessica D. Lambert, Pastor officiating. Immediately following the service there will be a time for refreshment and fellowship in The Chapel.

On June 8, 2025, Will’s cremated remains will be interred in The St. Columba Chapel located in The Columcille Megalith Park in Bangor, PA.

Memorial donations may be directed to The Deacon’s Fund at The First Presbyterian Church of Cooperstown, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or Columcille Megalith Park, 2155 Fox Gap Road, Bangor, PA 18013.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Lynn A. Green

1946 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Lynn Adele Green, age 78, peacefully entered eternal life surrounded by her family late Sunday afternoon, March 23, 2025, at Cooperstown Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing.

A native of Staten Island, Lynn was born on June 28, 1946, in Westerleigh, a daughter of Kenneth C. and Violet May Decker. At the age of 12, Lynn and her family moved to West New Brighton. Upon graduation from Port Richmond High School, Lynn attended SUNY Oneonta.

On June 14, 1975, Lynn married Charles G. Green in a ceremony at the Fly Creek United Methodist Church. For many years Lynn and Charlie lived on Christian Hill where they raised their family. In 2018, she and Charlie moved to Cooper Lane Apartments in Cooperstown.

For 25 years, Lynn served as a teacher’s aide at Cooperstown Central School. She spent the first 20 years at the Elementary School and the last 5 years she served at the Middle/High School, retiring in 2013. She thrived at work, always going the extra mile to help students that may be having a rough time. Lynn always brightened up the room and the people around her.

Lynn had a huge heart. She was always there to lend a helping hand, even if you didn’t think you needed it. She truly enjoyed helping others with life’s struggles. She expressed her love with a hug, pep talk or through gifts of quilts and baked goods. There isn’t a problem that couldn’t be fixed with a few dozen of her famous chocolate chip cookies.

Lynn had a passion for cooking and was a particularly excellent baker. She loved hosting functions making sure to have plenty of leftover food for everyone to bring home. Handing out several pounds of her homemade fudge over the holidays to friends, co-workers and anyone that was near was a tradition. Bringing family and friends together, over food, brought her true joy.

Lynn loved spending time with her grandchildren. Working on crafts or sharing some of her culinary skills were some of her favorite activities. She could always be heard cheering from the sidelines for the people she loved.

Lynn loved life and was always on the go, constantly volunteering in the community at events for various charities and for years serving on several boards at the Town of Hartwick. She was a very faithful, devoted, and well-loved member of the Fly Creek United Methodist Church where she frequently hosted the “coffee hour” reception after services.

Lynn was also surrounded by great friends whom she loved. As a testament to her loyalty and kindness, she maintained friendships from all phases of her life, through growing up on Staten Island, attending college at SUNY Oneonta, working various jobs, and with her neighbors and colleagues at CCS.

Lynn will truly be missed. She positively touched endless people around her. The community will be a little less vibrant without her.

Lynn is survived by her and Charlie’s three sons, Brian Green of Tucson, AZ, Kevin Green and wife, April, along with their children Riley, Emma, Gabby and Griffin of Fly Creek, and Alex Green of San Diego, CA; sister, Carol Luokkala of Frasier, MI; brother-in-law, Henry A. Green and wife, Deborah of Cooperstown; nieces, Megan, Natalie, Leslie, Amy, Angele and nephew Jeffery, and their families; as well as her fourth son-at-large, Roger Sprague.

In addition to her parents, Lynn was predeceased by her husband of 43 years, Charlie, who passed on January 19, 2019, whom she greatly missed.

A service in celebration of the life of Lynn Green will be offered at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 14, 2025, (on what would have been her and Charlie’s 50th wedding anniversary) at the Fly Creek United Methodist Church. Rev. Dr. Wilson Jones, pastor, will officiate the service.

A reception will immediately follow the service, start time and reception location TBA.

The service of committal and burial will be private in Fly Creek Valley Cemetery, where Lynn will be laid to rest with Charlie.

As an alternative to flowers, the Green family respectfully requests that donations be made in memory of Lynn to the Fly Creek United Methodist Church, PO Box 128, Fly Creek, NY 13337.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Audree J. Lane

1932 - 2025

TODDSVILLE – Audree J. Lane, 92, a beloved long-time resident of Toddsville, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 3, 2025, at the A.O. Fox Nursing Home in Oneonta. She is now joyfully reunited in heaven with her cherished husband, Glen.

Born on July 25, 1932, at Ellis Hospital in Schenectady, Audree was the daughter of Victor William Smith, Sr. and Eugenia Marie Dickson. She was lovingly raised by her mother and stepfather, Armin Kenneth Nickel. On June 24, 1956, she married the love of her life, Glen A. Lane, in Schenectady.

Audree was a woman of great kindness, strength, and devotion—traits that left a lasting impact on everyone who knew her. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and “GiGi” to her great-grandchildren. Known for her talent in wallpapering and her can-do spirit, there was truly nothing in the home she couldn’t accomplish. Audree found joy in crossword puzzles, bird watching, and, in her later years, adult coloring books. You could always count on Bob Ross being on TV, or the local news. She was also a passionate animal lover, especially fond of her dear cats.

She is survived by her children, Nancy J. Lane and Lynn E. Ives of Hartwick, and Glenn A. Lane and Timothy S. Lane of Toddsville; her grandchildren, Meagan Feola and her significant other, Rhakim Atkins, and their sons, RJ and Ely, Nicole White and her husband, Eric, and their daughters, Maci and Selena, Glenn A. Lane Jr. and his significant other, Shaunna, Natalie Lane and her fiancé, Justin Diaz, and their soon-to-arrive baby boy, Diaz, and Savannah Kroger and her husband, James as well as daughter Sofia. Audree is also survived by her brother, Armin K. “Skip” Nickel Jr. of Alplaus, and her sister, Gail Osterhoudt of Marlboro, MA.

She was predeceased by her husband, Glen (1999); her father, Victor; her mother, Eugenia; her stepfather, Armin; and her stepbrother, Victor W. Smith, and her son-in-law Robert F. Ives.

Audree’s life was a quiet, beautiful testament to love, family, and resilience. Her presence brought light and warmth to her family and community, and her legacy lives on in the hearts of all who loved her.

Family and friends may call from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at Connell, Dow, & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown. A funeral service will be held at 11a.m. on Friday, April 11, at the funeral home, with Rev. Dr. Wilson Jones, pastor of the Cooperstown United Methodist Church, officiating.

Committal and burial will follow in Fly Creek Valley Cemetery, where Audree will be laid to rest beside her beloved Glen, in eternal peace.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made to an animal rescue organization of your choice, in honor of Audree’s lifelong love for animals.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Edith M. Croft

1927 - 2025

HARTWICK – Edith M. Croft, 97, passed away peacefully at home in Hartwick surrounded by her family Wednesday morning, April 2, 2025.

Born November 6, 1927, in Utica, to Dorothy Mae Roberts, she grew up and attended school in the Utica area. At 16 she set out on her own and got a job at a sewing mill where she mastered the art of sewing anything and everything.

Edith married Merle G. Croft on May 18, 1946, and they began their family in 1948. In 1955, Edith and Merle moved to Hartwick and built their home on a little piece of land and raised their four children: Bob, Barb (husband, Jim), Rick and Dwayne (wife, Loli). Six grandchildren, Michael, Rebecca, David, Jeremy, Lucy and Sarah as well as four great grandchildren, Hunter, Avery, Jaden and Audrey, would join the family and know their grandmother’s house well.

As a homemaker, and mother, Edith was known for her clean house, amazing cooking and baking and common sense. Her flower beds brought her great joy, and during the warm months she could be found up to her elbows in them with a big smile on her face. She loved the look and smell of a freshly mowed lawn and, after Merle passed, mowed it herself until she was 85 years old. During cold months, she spent time knitting, reading and doing puzzles.

Edith was lucky enough to do a little travelling and especially enjoyed her trip to Rome to see The Vatican. She was always proud of her children’s accomplishments. A private woman, she never bragged or boasted about them and let each find and follow their own paths.

The oldest of 13 children, Edith is survived by her youngest sibling, Lon Thrasher and wife, MaryAnn of Utica, as well as a special niece, Sue Bulinski of Whitesboro. Edith’s husband of nearly 57 years, Merle, died on May 6, 2003.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, Cooperstown, with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, pastor, presiding. Immediately following the Mass, all are invited to gather in the Parish Hall for a time of refreshment, remembrance and fellowship.

Later this spring, the Service of Committal and Burial will be held in Hartwick Cemetery next to her husband, Merle.

The family would like to thank the Helios group for their unwavering support and kindness.

In lieu of flowers, take your family out to dinner and enjoy life.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Mary Tabor

1949 - 2025

HARTWICK – On March 2, 2025, Mary Tabor climbed on her horse Rebel and rode at a full gallop to rejoin her husband, her father, and her family as she held hands with her sons.

Mary was born in the parlor of her family home on October 19, 1949, to Kenneth Kane of Christian Hill. Her earliest memories were of riding through the fields on a stone boat and picking potatoes as her diaper dragged in the dirt. She lamented throughout her life that she had to forgo the fun of kindergarten; she spent her 5th year at home helping to take care of her father, who was immobile while he recovered from breaking his back. She made him soup for lunch every day because it was all she knew how to cook. A remarkable autodidact, Mary learned how to read and write that year, and entered school ahead of her peers. She said of her childhood that, “We had next to nothing, but somehow we had everything.”

She was, from her first day to her last, her father’s daughter. A 2nd grade classmate twice the size of the others was an indiscriminate tormenter, and one particular victim was made to cry every day. Mary seized a brief moment during which the teacher left the room and pushed the bully into a garbage can. When the teacher asked the class who did it, Mary took responsibility. She was rewarded with having her knuckles beaten with a ruler. The bullying stopped, and after her father went in the next day, the teacher never hit another child.

Mary’s childhood on a lively Christian Hill was bursting with horses, music, stories, friends, 4-H, and mothering a constant cast of children dropped off at the house when a family’s reduced circumstances forced them to turn to help from the Kane farm. Late in her life, she was shopping at Walmart when a man stopped her to ask if she was Mary Tabor. When she said yes, he explained that he had been one of those children. He told her that she’d saved his life.

While a teen, Mary’s sister Hilda’s hopelessly troubled car broke down in Hartwick. A gentleman one day removed from his release from the Navy offered to help; Ken Tabor drove them home, fell in love with Mary, and they were married for the last 55 years of his life.

Together they struck out west to the Binghamton area where Ken worked for IBM and Mary attended the Imperial School of Beauty Culture in Endicott. Her talent as a hairdresser was only eclipsed by her ability to put her clients at ease. She continued working as a beautician after moving back to Hartwick while she and Ken built their own family home on Christian Hill. They did not employ contractors; Mary, Ken, and their families provided both the skills and the labor.

As Mary brought up her own children, she began working at Cooperstown Central School as a volunteer, where she compiled an indefatigable community curriculum vitae: she was 5 minutes early for every Little People’s Theater rehearsal; her cowbell was the loudest at every football game through the 1980s; and under her guidance, Cooperstown’s annual yearbook was error-free, on time, and under budget. Each year she made sure that every student who wanted a yearbook got one, even if they couldn’t afford it.

Mary worked at Cooperstown with athletic directors Ted Kantorowski and Mike Cring. In her retirement, she joined Laurens Central School in special education with Sandy Kaster and a host of friends whom she talked about daily. At both schools her job titles were nearly nominal; her real work was providing overlooked students with the education that their schools, and occasionally parents, either couldn’t or wouldn’t.

Despite a full-time work schedule and devoting even more time to raising 3 boys, Mary earned a degree from Herkimer by taking classes at night. No winter storm would make her miss a class; through those years she periodically assisted the DEC with whitetail population control as she propped up local body shops. It paid off, as on countless occasions a conversation would reveal that someone just assumed she was a professor with a PhD. When she wasn’t serving as an oracle, she was reading. Her mind was at home both in the pages of the Western canon and within the stories of Jeffrey Archer and John Grisham.

Mary was a meticulous quilter who eschewed modern computerized machines for a traditional Singer Featherweight, and she became a staple at area auctions as she curated antiques and silver. Whether bullion or numismatic coins, Mary became a bellwether for other auction-goers, particularly with Morgan silver dollars. If she didn’t bid, it wasn’t worth having, and when she stopped bidding, the price was too high.

Her favorite memories included riding horses in Montana and traversing Las Vegas with her family, sipping limoncello on the Thames with her granddaughter, and poring over recipes in the Fannie Farmer cookbook with her grandson. She lived for every family holiday, which included the Kentucky Derby, as she provided all of them with an unshakeable, impenetrable stability that persists in perpetuity.

Mary continues to live on Christian Hill through her three boys, Jeffrey, Jason, and Matthew, all of Hartwick and Cooperstown, and her grandchildren Allison, Jacob, Peyton, and Lucas.

The Tabor family will receive friends from 4pm to 6pm on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown. At the conclusion of the visitation, a funeral service will be held at 6 pm at the funeral home.

Sharon Ann Gordon

1946 - 2025

Sharon Ann Gordon, 78, passed away peacefully Thursday afternoon, March 6, 2025, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.

She was born July 19, 1946, at Englewood Hospital in Englewood, New Jersey, a daughter of Michael and Mary (Hession) Gray.

Sharon lived a good part of her life in Bergen County, New Jersey, and later moved to Barnegat, New Jersey with her husband, Martin Gordon. For the last eight and a half years of her life she lived in Cobleskill, New York.

Sharon had a passion for gardening, which bloomed wherever she went, along with her love for her Irish heritage; she had the opportunity to visit Ireland twice before she died.

Sharon is survived by her children, Traci (Barry) Swanson and Brian (Lissett) Marcason; her grandchildren, Briana Swanson, Connor Swanson, Olivia Swanson, Matthew Marcason, Nicholas Marcason and Emilia Marcason; and two sisters, Maureen Felici and Margaret Pellegrin.

She was predeceased by her husband, Martin Gordon; a sister, Michelle Curtin; and a brother, Peter Gray.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Saint Andrew’s Roman Catholic Church, 120 Washington Avenue, Westwood, New Jersey, with the Rev. Diego Navarro, Pastor, Presiding. The Service of Committal and Burial will follow at 11:45 a.m. in Rockland Cemetery, 201 Kings Highway, Sparkill, New York, where she will be laid to rest near her parents.

Dorothea Sittler

1924 - 2025

FLY CREEK – With great sorrow, we share the news that our family matriarch, Dorothea “Dorle” Sittler, has passed away at the age of 100 years. Her death, on February 23, 2025, at the Cooperstown Center was peaceful, and we thank the Center and Helios Care for their kind attendance to Dorothea in her last days.

Dorothea was born in the city of Munich, Germany, on August 15, 1924, the beloved daughter of Joseph and Meta (Laue) Balling. To obtain the best education for his daughter, her father secured her attendance at the Grotschule, a progressive girl’s school of national reputation in Pasing, outside Munich. Dorothea matriculated at that school for 5 years, starting at age 10. Fortuitously, she received instruction in the English language. That would serve her well for the rest of her life.

At the age of 15, after the unexpected death of her father, she went to work at Martin Rid, an import company in Munich. After the war, she learned that the American military government was in need of interpreters. She went to work there and met Captain Irving Sittler, who would turn out to be her future husband and the love of her life.

On May 9, 1947, she and Irving married in New York City. They would start a family and in 1956, they relocated from Long Island to a farm on Franklin Mountain, outside Oneonta. They loved their new found rural life and the freedom it gave, but it was difficult to make ends meet. While Irving worked at Bendix in Sidney, he and Dorothea ran the farm until 1973 when Irving retired from his job.

Afterwards, the two of them explored the United States by camper and in 1986, sold the farm. They moved to a house in the Town of Middlefield, where Irving died on July 7, 1993. Dorothea explored the world: Asia, Europe, Africa, Central and South America and the Middle East. Until she was 95, she would drive to the Ocala National Forest and stay in a camper from December to April each year. Together with a circle of likeminded campers, she lived a carefree outdoor existence amongst Ocala’s forests during these trips. Each year, she would return to her home, and mow 2 acres of lawn, maintain her house, and tend to her vegetable and flower gardens. She did this on her own, resisting assistance from family, proud of what she could do.

Finally, at 95, she moved to Keating Road, outside Fly Creek, to live closer to her surviving son, but still cooked her own meals, and did her own laundry, until a month before her death.

Dorle inspired everyone. She was extremely intelligent and her breadth of knowledge and extraordinary abilities were without peer. She possessed the ability to turn adversity to advantage. She was beloved by her family and all who knew her.

She was predeceased in death by her husband and her parents, along with her son Robert. She is survived by her son Lester, and his wife, Karen, her grandchildren Luke (Amanda), Adam (Caitlin), Meghan, and Zachary (Aleah), and her 8 great grandchildren, Hayes, Harper, Millie, Hazel, Aylah, Jack, Laylah, and Maggie. She also leaves numerous cousins and other descendants in Germany.

Burial will occur this spring in the family plot at the Ouleout Valley Cemetery in Franklin. In accordance with her wishes, there will be no funeral service but a celebration of her life will occur at that time.

Dorle loved to swim at Fairy Spring Park until she no longer could. Accordingly, the family requests that any donations in her memory be made to Cooperstown Friends of the Parks, PO Box 1008, Cooperstown NY 13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Connor Jay Watson

2004 - 2025

MOUNT VISION – Connor Jay Watson, age 20, passed away Saturday evening, February 22, 2025, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown, surrounded by his family.

Connor was born February 25, 2004, at A.O. Fox Memorial Hospital in Oneonta, to his loving parents Rodney and Christine Watson.

In fall of 2009, Connor was eager to enter kindergarten at Laurens Central School. Tragically, he and his mother, Christine, and two siblings, Brandon and Kaitlyn, were involved in a two-vehicle crash on April 26, 2009, that forever changed his life and that of his family. Connor showed everyone his inner strength and, with the help of his family and friends, he persevered.

He began attending Springbrook as a day student in 2010, and attended school there until his passing. He was able to foster a love for learning, and was an eager and able student who overcame adversity daily.

During his life, Connor harbored a passion for traveling, and enjoyed exploring the world with his family. He also loved looking his best, and enjoyed wearing a tuxedo when he was his brother’s Best Man at his wedding in 2024.

Connor was a funny guy and a jokester, and enjoyed making his family and friends crack up daily. He had a joy for life that was infectious, and a dimpled smile that could make anyone grin.

Connor is survived by his mom and dad, Christine and Rodney Watson of Mount Vision; his brother, Brandon Watson and wife, Samantha Watson of Mount Vision and their children Jack Watson and Elianna Chicoski; and his sister Kaitlyn Watson and long-term partner Jacob Lyons of Cobleskill. He is further survived by his maternal grandmother, Nancy Murdock of Cooperstown; his paternal grandmother, Wanda Farber and her husband, Rick, of Marietta, Georgia; his aunts and uncles Sherry and David Hotaling, Monica Holliman and fiancé, and Jessica and Jay Szwejbka; and several cousins.

He was predeceased by his maternal grandfather, Duane Hotaling, in 2012 and his paternal grandfather, Ronald Watson, in 2020.

A Celebration of Connor’s Life will be held on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Morris Conference Center at SUNY Oneonta (70 West Dormitory Road, Oneonta NY, 13820). Calling hours will begin at 1 pm, with a service and reception to shortly follow. Anyone who attends is encouraged to share their favorite story or memory of Connor. He will be privately laid to rest later this spring.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Kinney Memorial Library in Hartwick, or the Super Heroes Humane Society in Oneonta. The Kinney Memorial Library was one of Connor’s favorite places to be from a young age, and his love for the library helped foster his curiosity and his love for books. Connor also had a life-long love of animals, and grew up with pets for the entirety of his life.

Acknowledgments would like to be made for the care Connor received at the end of his life. Sherry and David Hotaling never left Connor’s side and provided never-ending support to Connor and his family through everything. The Laurens Emergency Squad, Otsego County Ambulance crew, and Emergency Room and ICU doctors and nurses at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown all worked tirelessly to get Connor the care he needed. Their commitment and dedication to Connor’s care is deeply appreciated.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Joseph J. Marsala

1933 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Joseph J. Marsala, a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather. Joe peacefully passed away at the age of 91, surrounded by his family who cherished him deeply.

Joe was born in Manhattan on August 1, 1933. He married his true love, Kathleen Grey, on October 21, 1950. In 1963 Joe and Kathleen moved with their five children to Brentwood, where they raised their family. In 1972, he started his own business, Marsala’s Trucking, which he ran successfully for more than 30 years with his two sons, John and Joey. In 2005, Joe and Kathleen retired to Cooperstown.

Joe lived a life full of love and laughter. For 69 years, Joe was a devoted husband to Kathleen, who passed away November 19, 2019. His greatest joy was his family.

Joe had an incredible sense of humor and was known for his string of one-liners. He left a lasting impression on everyone he met. His generosity, kindness and vibrant spirit made him beloved by so many.

Joe was predeceased by his loving wife, Kathleen, their son, Ricky, and his sisters Annie Cucuru, Rosemarie Grey and Katherine Stedman.

He is survived by son John Marsala (Kathy), daughter Kathleen Siracusa (Joe), son Joseph Marsala (Ann), daughter Laura Ginley (Tom), and daughter Maryann Dathe; eleven grandchildren, Kristy Cifelli (Mike), John Marsala (Dawn), Andrew Marsala, Michele Morrison, Alexandra Siracusa (Gawayne), Gianna Marsala, Erin Marsala, Timmy Ginley, Erica Donahue (Kenny) Derek Dathe (Christine), and Taylor Dathe (Chris); and thirteen great grandchildren, Cameron Jones, Max Headley, Charlotte Cifelli, Michael Cifelli, Matthew Marsala, Mary Marsala, Holly Ginley, Oliver McHenry, Emilia Donahue, Lola Donahue, Patrick Donahue, Jacob Dathe and Norah Dathe.

He is also survived by his brother, John Marsala and his sister, Lois Horl.

Joe will also be remembered by a community of friends (especially his friends at Cooper Lane) who will forever remember him sitting in front of his infamous garage with his son, Joey, where everyone stopped by to say hello, sit and visit, and share stories.

Friends may call and pay their respects at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home, 82 Chestnut Street, Cooperstown, from 4-7 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2025, when Joseph’s family will be in attendance.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, 2025, at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church, 31 Elm Street, Cooperstown, with The Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, Pastor, officiating.

The Service of Committal and Burial will be at 1 p.m. Monday, March 3, 2025, in Calvary Cemetery (Third Calvary-St. Sebastian Division) in Woodside, Queens, with the Rev. William McLaughlin, Parochial Vicar of The Church of St. Teresa, Woodside, Queens, officiating.

In lieu of flowers, Joseph’s family respectfully requests that memorial donations be made to the Cooperstown Food Pantry, 25 Church Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Paul Aloysius Kennedy, Sr.

1933 - 2025

MOUNT VISION – Paul Aloysius Kennedy, Sr., 91, of Mount Vision, passed away peacefully Wednesday evening, February 12, 2025, at his home on Pleasant Valley Road, surrounded by his family.

Paul was born April 23, 1933, in Glen Cove Hospital on Long Island, New York, one of four children of Andrew Raymond Kennedy and Hannah Regina née Melia Kennedy.

He graduated from Westbury H.S., Class of 1951, and Hofstra College. He attended Harvard Law School for one year before leaving to pursue a career in business. He served in the United States Army and was Honorably Discharged in 1963. He continued to serve in the U. S. Army Reserve until the early 1970s.

On August 25, 1962, Paul married Margaret Mary Bender in Malvern, Pennsylvania. They first settled on a farm in Roxbury, NY and then moved to Mount Vision where they raised their family of 12 children.

A trained horticulturist, Paul was President of Andrew R. Kennedy, Inc., a business founded by his father, selling seeds, bulbs and plants. He travelled extensively up and down the eastern seaboard in a career that spanned sixty-seven years. He successfully grew and installed exhibits at The New York Flower Show and served as President of the New York Florists’ Club in 1985 & 1986. He continued to grow and sell cut flowers and plants and provide leadership to the local farmers’ market in Oneonta and as a foundational vendor in the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market.

A life long follower of current events and a student of world, United States and Church history, Paul worked in the organization of The New York State Conservative Party in 1962 and later served as Acting Chair for Otsego County for many years.

Paul was a gifted gardener and a lover of nature, horses and horseback riding.

A devout, life long communicant, most recently of St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown, he and his wife, Margaret instilled the faith in their children through a life of witness to the Eternal Truth.

Paul is survived by his wife of 62 years, Margaret M. Kennedy of Mount Vision, and their 12 children, Paul A. Kennedy, Jr. and wife Carol of Hartwick, Andrew R. Kennedy and wife, Kristie of Carthage, Margaret Mary Kennedy of Mount Vision, Elizabeth A. Hamman and husband Michael of Phoenix, Arizona, John P. Kennedy and wife Christy of Oneonta, Patricia A. Kennedy of New York City, Owen P. Kennedy and wife Mary Kay of Mount Vision, James G. Kennedy and wife Ann of St. Charles, Illinois, Sister John Catherine (Susan) Kennedy, O.P. (Dominican Order) of Nashville, Tennessee, Kathleen A. Biles and husband Wesley of Phoenix, Arizona, Joseph P. Kennedy and wife Jessica of Schenectady, and Anne M. Sullivan and husband Ryan of Cincinnati, Ohio; 41 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Beginning at 12 Noon Wednesday, February 19, 2025, Paul will lie in repose at St. Mary’s “Our Lady of the Lake” Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown where family and friends may call to pay their respects. At 1 p.m. a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church with the Very Rev. Michael G. Cambi, pastor, officiating. A reception will follow in St. Mary’s Parish Hall.

The Service of Committal and Burial will be later this spring in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Index.

Expressions of sympathy in the form of memorial donations may be made to: Helios Care, 297 River Street Service Road, Oneonta, NY 13820, (HeliosCare.org)

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Yvonne M. Cornell

Yvonne Madelyn Cornell, 86, passed away peacefully at Fox Nursing Home on February 5, 2025.

She was born in Cooperstown to Louis and Viva (MacDonald) Clouthier. After graduating from Cooperstown High School with the Class of 1955, she started her first job at First National Bank.

She was married to Robert W. Cornell from 1957 until 1980. Together they had four children.

After many years dedicated to raising her children, Yvonne returned to work at the New York State Historical Association (Fenimore House) taking roles of increasing responsibility and eventually becoming Executive Secretary to the Director. She retired after a career of more than 25 years.

Yvonne attended St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown, and later Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hartwick Seminary.

Her two loves were square dancing and spoiling her grandchildren.

Yvonne is survived by her children, Donna (Robert) Muntz, Scott (Laurie) Cornell, Robert Cornell, and Dean (Deborah) Cornell; her grandchildren, Reid Muntz, Rachel (Sean) Henderson, Bailey Muntz, Alayne Cornell, Evan Cornell (Caroline Hashagen), Amber Simoneaux, Jackson Cornell, Claudia (Chris) Humphries, and Vincent (Heidi Dakter) Rinaldo; and eight great grandchildren.

The family would like to thank the staff at Fox Nursing Home for the love and tender care they provided Yvonne during her extended stay.

A Funeral Service will be offered at 12 Noon on Friday, February 14, 2025, at Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4636 State Highway 28, Hartwick Seminary, with the Reverend Paul R. Messner, Pastor as Presiding Minister. The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service.

The Service of Committal and Burial will be at a later date in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Index.

In memory of Yvonne, donations may be made to Evangelical Lutheran Church, 4636 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326, or to Parkinson’s Foundation, 5757 Waterford District Drive, Suite 310, Miami, FL 33126.

Jules R. Feiffer

1929 - 2025

RICHFIELD SPRINGS – Jules R. Feiffer, a cartoonist and writer, passed into eternal life late Friday morning, January 17, 2025, at his home in the Town of Exeter with his wife, the writer JZ Holden by his side. He mastered every major narrative art form of the 20th century – comic strips, theater, cinema, novels, graphic novels, children’s literature – and used them to capture our every neurosis, desire, fear, hypocrisy, fantasy, rationalization and twisted daydream. He was 95.

Born January 26, 1929, in The Bronx, Jules Ralph Feiffer was the son of Polish Jewish immigrants David and Rhoda (Davis) Feiffer. Encouraged by his mother, he began drawing at the age of 3 and soon developed a love for cartoons. After graduating from James Monroe High School at the age of 16, he went to work for Will Eisner, who considered Jules a mediocre artist, but he “liked the kid’s spunk and intensity.” The two worked well together, especially on Eisner’s cartoon, “Spirit.”

From 1951 until 1953, Jules served in the United States Army during the Korean War where he did animation for the Signal Corps.

After working with Will Eisner, Jules eventually ventured off onto his own and became a staff cartoonist for the fledgling The Village Voice where he produced a weekly comic strip eventually titled “Feiffer” that ran for 42 years, until 1997. Known for his signature sketchy, scribbly line drawings, he compiled a collection of his satire cartoons into a best-selling book, “Sick Sick Sick: A Guide to Non-Confident Living,” a dissection of popular social and political neuroses.

By 1959, “Feiffer” was distributed nationally by the Hall Syndicate and appeared in such newspapers as The Boston Globe and Newark Star-Ledger, as well as major publications including The New Yorker, Esquire, and Playboy. Eventually, syndication reached 100 newspapers at its peak. In 1997 The New York Times commissioned him to create its first op-ed page comic strip, which ran monthly until 2000.

In the 1960s, Stanley Kubrick, a fellow Bronx native, invited Feiffer to write a screenplay for “Dr. Stangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.” Feiffer decided it just wasn’t for him, and Kubrick wound up writing, directing and producing the film himself. Feiffer went on to write the screenplay for “Carnal Knowledge” in 1971, directed by Mike Nichols and starring Jack Nicholson and Art Garfunkel. In the 1980s he wrote the screenplay for Robert Altman’s “Popeye.” Though it met with mixed, critical reaction, the film, starring Robin Williams as Popeye and Shelley Duvall as Olive Oyl was a hit.

Through the years, he published many books containing his art, including children’s books such as “The Phantom Tollbooth” in 1961, and wrote and drew one of the earliest graphic novels, “Tantrum.” Age was not a factor for this indefatigable man, and just this past year, he published “Amazing Grapes,” a graphic novel for middle-school-age children.

Included in the many honors and awards he garnered throughout his life, are an Academy Award in 1961 for best animated short film, “Munro,” the Pulitzer Prize in 1986 for political cartoons, a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 from the Writers Guild of America, and in 2004 he was inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame.

In September 2016, Jules married the writer JZ Holden and moved to Shelter Island. They later moved to upstate New York and settled into a home overlooking fields, mountains and a lake.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by three daughters from previous marriages, Halley, Kate and Julie Feiffer.

Soon after his death, many tributes to his prodigious career have appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Comics Journal and Variety, just to name a few. Please read these articles to gain an appreciation for a life well-lived.

Jules will be laid to rest later this spring in Lakewood Cemetery in Cooperstown.

Arrangements are with the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.

Jean W. Johnson

1934 - 2025

COOPERSTOWN – Jean W. Johnson, a native of Cooperstown and a faithful and devoted member of Christ Church, entered into eternal life early Sunday morning, January 5, 2025, The Feast of the Epiphany, surrounded by her family at Bassett Medical Center. She was 90.

Born April 30, 1934, in Cooperstown, Jean was a daughter of Joseph C. Worrall - a former jockey for F. Ambrose Clark - and Gertrude Brisack Worrall - a well-known and respected pediatric nurse at the Mary Imogene Bassett Hospital.

Jean spent most of her early school years in Detroit before moving back to Cooperstown and graduating from Cooperstown High School with the Class of 1952. Jean attended the Utica School of Commerce where she studied secretarial science.

On October 15, 1954, in the middle of Hurricane Hazel, Jean married Richard Edward “Dick” Johnson in a ceremony at Christ Church in Cooperstown. They made their home on North Street in Edmeston where they raised their family.

For many years, Jean was employed as a legal secretary for her husband and later was the Chief Clerk for the Otsego County Family Court.

As a life-long Episcopalian, Jean was a beloved member of Christ Church, where she served in various roles, including more than 50 years as a member of the Altar Guild. She was a member of the Native Daughters of Cooperstown and often attended the annual luncheons with her mother, Gertrude and sister, Joan. Jean also belonged to the Lake and Valley Garden Club and served in several positions and was also a dedicated member of the Cooperstown Alumni Association.

Jean lived a rich and varied life. When she was 4 years old, her Aunt Beatrice Hogue (née Brisack) saved her from drowning at the Pump House on Mill Street. Mom loved to host many friends of her children and grandchildren, whether she was making dinner before Edmeston sporting events, baking her famous cookies, making crepes for mini-courses, or lint rolling prom dresses, Jean was always ready to help. She loved everyone and she loved to make new friends.

Jean will be greatly missed by her loving family, her church and many friends. She spent numerous hours gardening, golfing, playing bridge, sewing, and traveling. She especially loved quilting. Her handmade quilts are treasured items for her children and grandchildren.

Jean is survived by two daughters, Debra Mullet and husband, John of College Station, Texas, and Meghan King and husband, Rob, of Bradford Woods, Pennsylvania; a son, Timothy R. Johnson, Esq. and wife, Vicki of Edmeston; six grandchildren: Ian Mullet, Alexander (Gloria) Johnson, Susanna Johnson, Cooper King, Schaefer King (Natalie), Catherine Johnson (Erin); nieces Annie Mithoefer and Robin Torrence; nephew Mark Jacobson; special cousins and great nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph C. Worrall and Gertrude B. Worrall; her husband of 30 years, Dick Johnson; her sister, Joan W. White; and nephew Brian Jacobson.

The Office of the Burial of the Dead with the Holy Eucharist will be offered at 11 a.m. Monday, January 13, 2025, at Christ Church in Cooperstown, with the Rev'd Nathan Ritter, rector, officiating. A reception will follow in the Parish Hall. The Service of Committal at The Columbarium Wall in the Churchyard at Christ Church will be held later this Spring.

In lieu of flowers the family kindly requests contributions to Edmeston Free Library, Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home, Susquehanna S.P.C.A. or a charity of your choice.

Jean’s family would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to the Clara Welch Thanksgiving Home family and the Bassett Medical Center doctors, nurses and staff on third floor medical.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.